Video Games Handpicked by Our Editors

LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4
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LEGO Harry Potter: Years 1-4

Why We Recommend It

Explorations and puzzles make this a fun and challenging game that's tailor made for Harry Potter fans.

Read our full review
Getting Your Game On? Choose Wisely

Online games, computer games, and console video games all use different methods of gameplay. That's what makes them fun, but young players simply may not have the coordination to succeed. Our game reviews offer guidance on "ease of play," so you can match your kids' skills with the games they're interested in. Also try games the whole family can play together.
Remember that good gaming habits start early. Pick age-appropriate games and set time limits.

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StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty (Mac, Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

StarCraft II has content inappropriate for little kids. This includes plenty of violence (with blood and gore), foul language, and scenes with drinking and smoking. Violence will likely be the big concern, as players are battling rival ... read more

StarCraft II: Wings of Liberty
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Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip (PSP)
Parents Need to Know...

that Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip is a family-friendly tennis game featuring memorable cartoony characters. The story mode has a positive message about healthy competition, while ad hoc local area network play promotes social gaming ... read more

Hot Shots Tennis: Get a Grip
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Hydro Thunder Hurricane (Xbox 360)
Parents Need to Know...

Hydro Thunder Hurricane is a fantasy boat racing game. There is some violence -- boats explode -- but the drivers are never injured, and the high-speed aquatic action is so over-the-top that there is little risk of any players attempting ... read more

Hydro Thunder Hurricane
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Little League World Series 2010 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Parents Need to Know...

that Little League World Series 2010 is a wholesome and sweet-hearted, but still thoroughly fun and enjoyable baseball game. Kids can edit their own teams and uniforms, and teams consist of both boys and girls. There's a lot of focus on ... read more

Little League World Series 2010
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Nancy Drew: Trail of the Twister (Mac, Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

that Nancy Drew: Trail of the Twister is a mystery experience from the first-person perspective of the world-famous teen sleuth. As Nancy, players will experience some scary moments -- most involving the weather, but a few that feature ... read more

Nancy Drew: Trail of the Twister
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The Cages: Pro Style Batting Practice (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

Parents should be aware that The Cages: Pro Style Batting is a batting simulator, not a full-fledged baseball simulation game. If you are expecting a baseball game with actual teams and regular games to play, then this isn’t the game for ... read more

The Cages: Pro Style Batting Practice
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Limbo (Xbox 360)
Parents Need to Know...

that Limbo is a very difficult puzzle platformer with mature themes and a surprising amount of gore, considering it’s rendered completely in greyscale. Though open to interpretation, the general consensus is that the story explores the ... read more

Limbo
5
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All Points Bulletin (Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

that All Points Bulletin, a massively multiplayer online game for mature gamers, is similar in style to Grand Theft Auto and Crackdown. Full of intense violence, players use realistic looking weapons to take out other players with blood ... read more

All Points Bulletin
3
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Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable (PSP)
Parents Need to Know...

that Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable is a role-playing game with a deep and engrossing storyline that is very mature in its content. The dark, spooky monsters are only the start of it. The heroes can evoke "persona" ... read more

Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 3 Portable
5
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Animal Color Cross (Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Animal Color Cross, a downloadable DSiWare game, is like a simpler version of the popular Picross 3-D. This is a puzzle game played out on a grid where kids follow rules to fill in the grid and solve the puzzle. Kids who like the ... read more

Animal Color Cross
3
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NCAA Football 11 (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360)
Parents Need to Know...

that NCAA Football 11 is a straightforward simulation of college football. Players can choose to create their own star athlete and guide them to a stellar college career, or take control of a particular school and lead them to the top ... read more

NCAA Football 11
5
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Puzzle Agent (Mac, Windows)
Parents Need to Know...

Parents needs to know this game is safe for players of all ages -- though some of the puzzles might be too difficult for younger gamers. The storyline is more quirky than scary, but some of the creepy music and atmosphere might be a tad ... read more

Puzzle Agent
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Despicable Me: The Game (Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP)
Parents Need to Know...

that Despicable Me: The Game focuses on Gru, the movie's protagonist, as a cartoonishly evil villain who thrives on being bad. The more despicable your behavior in the game, the higher your score will be. You should also know that the ... read more

Despicable Me: The Game
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100 Classic Books (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that the titles included in 100 Classic Books are all acclaimed, important books from literary history, but they vary greatly in terms of content. In this software, you'll find everything from Alice in Wonderland to War and Peace -- with ... read more

100 Classic Books
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Despicable Me: The Game - Minion Mayhem (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

Parents first of all need to know that Despicable Me: The Game -- Minion Mayhem is a completely different experience than the Despicable Me game that is available for Wii, PSP, and PS2. This DS version is a strategy-based game. And while ... read more

Despicable Me: The Game - Minion Mayhem
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ThinkSmart (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that ThinkSmart is far too mentally challenging for players under 12. It's likely to pose a major challenge to most adults. Younger players should definitely stick to this game's sister title, ThinkSmart Kids. read more

ThinkSmart
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ThinkSmart Kids (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that ThinkSmart Kids is much better suited for younger players than its companion title, ThinkSmart. The exercises here are challenging, but challenging at the right level for elementary school kids. Be aware, though, that the game does ... read more

ThinkSmart Kids
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The Last Airbender (DS) (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that while this DS version of The Last Airbender has its fair share of fighting, it is far less chaotically violent than the film's Wii game adaptation. It is, in fact, an entirely different game. This one puts a lot of focus on ... read more

The Last Airbender (DS)
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Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies (Nintendo DS, Nintendo DSi)
Parents Need to Know...

that Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies is a lengthy but easy role-playing game with a focus on local area network multiplayer play (not online). As with most games of its ilk, it dabbles in grownup themes, but the violence is ... read more

Dragon Quest IX: Sentinels of the Starry Skies
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ThinkSmart: Family! (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that while ThinkSmart: Family! is intended for the whole family, kids younger than nine or so are probably not up to the challenge. Whether you're a kid or an adult, you'll be getting the same exact questions and exercises, and many of ... read more

ThinkSmart: Family!
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The Last Airbender (Nintendo Wii)
Parents Need to Know...

that the video game version of The Last Airbender tells the same story as that of the film is it based on, but from the perspective of that film's antagonist. It provides a nuanced portrait of Zuko, the main character, but he does not ... read more

The Last Airbender
3

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Common Sense Media's game reviews and ratings for all ages are based on child development principles. We give you trustworthy information so you can pick what's best for your family. We may know media, but you're the expert on your kids.

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